Archive for November, 2012

Seniors Hike for Health as Well as Pleasure

There are many seniors who enjoy hiking and who do so for their health, plus it can be just plain enjoyable to hike with spouse, with friends or by yourself.There are communities with senior hiking clubs all over our great nation that invite seniors to come and check out their trails. I wish to share just a few that you may find of interest, especially if you’re traveling in that area.

Senior Hikers in the Portland Area Hit Their Stride

At 8,000 feet, on Oregon‘s Mount Howard, you may feel the effect of altitude on your lungs. In the past seven years, the Portland Parks & Recreation has become renown for its Senior Recreation program, more than doubling the number of weekly hiking trips it offers, and interest continues to grow. This senior hiking program has become so popular that it cannot always accommodate all of the seniors interested in a particular trip.

Seniors Hike in Danville, California

The Danville (California) Area Senior Hikes (DASH) is open to all adults and meets on the second and fourth Wednesday of every month. Most hikes are not strenuous, but because of the local terrain, one needs to be steady on the feet. Distances are usually in the 4- to 5-mile range, the pace is moderate, and the leader makes stops to view scenery, wildlife and to talk about local history when appropriate.

Berks County, Pennsylvania Hikers

Seniors traveling or living near Berks County, Pa will discover a wide range of hiking possibilities for seniors of all skill and fitness levels. The Blue Mountains and Appalachian Trail offer easy hiking treks on a variety of terrain, taking you through farmland, by lakes and up rocky, mountain trails. There are many senior hiking groups in the area that meet weekly to hike.

Rhinelander, Wisconsin Hiking Trails

Seniors enjoy heading out from Rhinelander for good hikes that are held on Wednesday mornings, beginning June 20. The trails, chosen for beginner hikers, can be shortened or lengthened depending on the group and will last about an hour and a half. Directions to the trails are available at the Y or at oneidacountywi.com. You are asked to wear appropriate clothing and to bring plenty of water.

Advanced Senior Hikers

Here’s a challenge for you seniors that have hiking experience under your belts…The Appalachian Trail. Just thinking about this trail may find you heading the other direction, but before you chicken out, read this story about a 63 year-old senior who hiked the famed trail.

Here’s a Step by Step Guide that encourages seniors to give it a try and another fine guide where you will find good advice for any trail you may choose to hike. Info.com also has several trail hike information links for you to consider. Many seniors find that hiking a trail is much more fun and rewarding that mall-walking. So seniors…step up and step out! jeb

Living History Museum Attracts Seniors

The Living History Museum in Plymouth, MA was an eye opening adventure for our family… my wife’s ancestors came over on the Mayflower in 1620. Senior visitors discover that the many resident actors are in costume and speak English in the language of the time.

We sought out a specific person, Stephen Hawkins, the ancestor my mother-in-law discovered when she worked on her family’s genealogy. We were able to verify information we’d learned about him and his family… his wife had a baby born on the voyage, they named “Oceanus” who died and was bured at sea.

Seniors Can Board the Mayflower

Senior travelers can visit the Mayflower II that is harbored at Plymouth Rock which makes your trip come even more to life. The ship is a full-scale reproduction of the original Mayflower that was used by the Pilgrims to cross the Atlantic Ocean. Finished in 1957 in Devon, England, the Mayflower II was built so that every detail was as close as possible to that of the original Mayflower, down to the lanterns and hand-colored maps. A visit to Plimoth Plantation is really not complete without a side trip to the Mayflower II.

Senior Citizens Immersed in 17th Century Plimouth Colony

Senior visitors will discover that the village is a very accurate portrayal of the way life was back in the 1600s. The small houses with thatched roofs have kitchen gardens and are surrounded by a fortification, called palisade. This photo tour of Plimoth Plantation shows the pilgrims at work, Indians working in the fields and children raising the flag. Trip Advisor shows the village in action, women are sewing, cooking and weaving, wigwams, the costumes of the era and more.

In the 1627 English Village, seniors meet the area’s first European settlers; their accents and clothing are convincing. The women may be seen grinding corn, baking bread in an outdoor clay oven, churning butter, or cooking on open hearths. The men tend the fields, hew logs to make planks, and take care of the animals. Even the animals have been bred to resemble those of the 1600s. You can learn from these residents what life was like in early America.

It’s fun that the interpreters don’t “break character.” If you ask them about anything that happened after 1627, they will act as though they have no idea what you’re talking about.We attempted to engage them in conversation outside their character and they did not budge. In fact ‘Stephen Hawkins’ looked at our camera and asked what that was.

Where is Plimoth Plantation?

The Plimoth Plantation is about an hour south from Boston, Massachusetts and is open from late March through late November, seven days a week. It will be a memorable experience for you senior history buffs. jeb

Seniors Relax in the Jardin du Luxembourg

The Jardin du Luxembourg was one of my favorite places to just unwind during my academic year as a student at the Sorbonne. Located close to the Sorbonne, on the ‘Boul’ Mich, (Blvd St. Michel), I spent many hours sitting on benches in the Jardin du Luxembourg or just strolling in the park. The garden is famous for its calm atmosphere and it sure worked for me. At the center of the park is an octagonal pond, known as the Grand Bassin where senior visitors can watch children sailing their small sail boats.

Popular Park with Lots of Statues

The Jardin du Luxembourg is the second largest park in Paris with 55 acres and is the garden of the French Senate, which is housed in the Luxembourg Palace, constructed Between 1615 and 1627. Scattered throughout the garden are over a hundred statues, monuments, and fountains.

Senior visitors will enjoy some of the most beautiful flowers in the city as they stroll through the jardin.This video focuses on just “chilling out” in the garden. Warning…you have to pay to sit in one of those chairs, however, the benches are free. There is a very famous marionette stage called Guignol in the garden where children flock to the scene. All Parisian kids know Guignol.

Seniors Discover the Quartier Latin

The garden is located in the Quartier Latin (Latin Quarter) just across from the Pantheon. Voltaire, Rousseau, Victor Hugo, Emile Zola, Marie Curie and Louis Braille and a host of other famous French are buried in vaults in the Pantheon. Walking through the Latin Quarter, senior visitors will pass many famous stores dedicated to student supplies. Stroll into one of them, like Gibert Joseph, and look around at all the many books and articles used by the students who attend the Sorbonne.

Highlights and Life of the Garden

I leave you with another neat video. I can describe with many words but these scenes bring the garden to life. Notice the trees, the flowers, the fountains, the chairs and benches, the people, the atmosphere. It’s a magical place.

Les Tuileries Garden between the Place de la Concorde and the Louvre is another “must” in Paris. When you take your senior citizen trip to Paris, take in both parks, sit and just “people watch” with a cool drink in hand. This can provide seniors with truly wonderful memories of Paris.

My travel “hero” is Rick Steves. He was recently interviewed on TV and was asked the neatest place he had ever visited. He replied without hesitation…Paris. I wholeheartedly agree. Of course I’m a little biased. I lived there for a year as a student with my family and have been back dozens of times. You will love Paris as well. jeb

Getaway Weekends

Help is available for senior citizens to find the perfect getaway in California. The Getaway Machine travel calculator will find the best possible match in distance, price, activities and other preferences you may want to include. It will even compute how much you’ll spend on gas. Click on a destination and get a list of all lodgings that are currently in their Getaway Machine data base for that particular city or area.

Holiday Destinations for Senior Citizens

Senior citizens, are you looking for holiday destinations this Christmas season? Are you seeking luxury senior citizen travel?Boutique Hotels provide unique and luxurious lodging. US NewsTravel has a list of the best hotels in California. Thirty four of California’s luxury hotels ranked in the list of Best Hotels in the US. And senior travelers, you will find great food in California as well. You will not be disappointed.

Seniors Can Be a Star for a Weekend

Want more information on Half Moon Bay, Paso Robles or Coronado? And Hollywood: How to be a star-for-a-weekend may find you a little excited. Have you dreamed of living like a star on the famous Sunset Strip? This may be the perfect solution for seniors who want to class up their visit to Hollywood and satisfy the urge to be close to the rich and famous entertainers who live and work in the Entertainment Capital of the World.

And Then There’s Anaheim…

Now more than 50 years old, the mother of all theme parks – in fact, the only Disney park that Walt Disney ever got the chance to personally visit – just keeps packing them in. Current attendance figures are classified, according to a Disney spokesman, but they will say that more than 500 million guests have visited the Anaheim, California park. About half of those guests come from California.

For all intents and purposes, Disneyland California was born back in 1955 when visionary Walt Disney bought up enough Anaheim acreage to create what Disney likes to call the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Now lastly, senior citizens, choose the kind of Getaway you want be it a national park, wine country, the California coast or the beach. You’ll enjoy California. Have a great weekend away from it all! jeb

Seniors – Québec City Beckons

It’s a ways up there, senior travelers, but well worth the visit. Gorgeous landscapes; natural, cultural, and historical attractions; outdoor activities minutes from town; internationally renowned festivals and events. Let’s find out why Quebec City is Canada‘s jewel, and one of the world’s most beautiful cities!

Vous Parlez Français?

Oui, Québec City is French. You’ll love the Château Frontenac, the world’s most photographed hotel, the centuries-old architecture, and the historic sites. Whatever the time of year, senior visitors will enjoy horse-drawn carriages, street entertainers, singers, and artists, particularly at Old Québec’s open-air art gallery.

Québec is the only fortified city in North America north of Mexico, with close to 4.6 km of walls and imposing gates to explore. For many, the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré Shrine has been a “place of miracles” for the past 350 years. It’s well worth a visit, whatever your beliefs.

Frommer’s notes that Québec City seduces from first view. Situated along the majestic Fleuve Saint-Laurent (St. Lawrence River), much of the oldest part of the city — Vieux-Québec — sits atop Cap Diamant, a rock bluff that once provided military defense. As picturesque as a coastal town in the motherland of France, senior visitors will find it as romantic as any in Europe.

Seniors See and Hear a Lot of French in Québec City

The city is almost entirely French in feeling, spirit, and language. Almost everyone — 95% of the population — is Francophone, or French speaking. But many of its 622,000 residents do know some English, especially those who work in hotels, restaurants, and shops. Most of the Québécois are uncommonly gracious.

And Why the Name Quebec?

The name Québec comes from the French explorers who, coming down the St. Lauwrence (St. Laurent) seaway, noted the “beak” that was sticking out into the waters. They named it “Qué-bec” meaning “What a beak!” You see the geography of the area and you will understand how it got its name.

Québec City is the capital city of the province of Québec. The city has a remarkable history, as the fortress capital of New France since the 16th century. Although the town’s day-to-day life leaves things a little yawny at times, the vibrant historical centre makes for an incredible senior citizen visit. Despite its 400-year-old history, Québec has a new crop of artists and entrepreneurs that are imbuing it with a youthful energy and spirit.

For Senior Women

Women Traveling Together caters to women. If you are a single senior woman and looking for someone to travel with, this may be the answer. It’s all about bringing together women who share a common interest for travel. Want to know more? Choose your destination and contact this organization.

AAA Has Its Own Travel Ideas

AAA offers many trips for seniors and offers group membership. With a wealth of experience behind them and many destinations to choose from, AAA specializes in vacation planning. Here is a website example.

International Travel Clubs

International Travel Clubs has a listing of several travel clubs around the US. Started by ITC readers who simply announced in the magazine their willingness to begin a club or to join one.

Seniors may join Prestige Travel Club for $99. For each year of membership senior citizens are entitled to a 7-night resort condominium vacation. Members have access to the same resorts and pay only taxes, resort and processing fees.

The Affordable Travel Club provides some great ideas on how a travel club works, rules and guidelines and member obligations.

Robert Young Pelton’s Adventurers Club

With its headquarters in Chicago, the Adventurers Club, founded in 1911, boasts a membership of mountain climbers and polar adventurers, military men and big-game hunters. The decor is pith helmet-chic and the central raison d’être seems to be drinks at the bar and manly camaraderie. Admission requires recommendations from members. To get one, show up at a club function and rub elbows with whoever’s within reach. Pelton advises: Try breaking out a signature toast, “To provide a hearth and home for those who left the beaten path and made for adventure.” Sounds a little quirky, but very interesting!

Enjoy researching travel clubs, my senior citizen friends, who knows you might just find one that suits your fancy. And in the adventure you might make some new, good friends.jeb

Seniors are Joining Travel Clubs

Travel Clubs are becoming more and more inviting to seniors throughout the country as they are discovering another way to vacation. It has always been said that “sharing a sunset makes it twice as beautiful” and the same might be said for joining others like minded senior citizens for a vacation.

Travel is expensive and quickly getting more so, thanks to rapidly rising fuel prices. Travel clubs promise to cut those costs by giving you huge deals on airfare, cruises, and lodging. There may be a price to join, but members most often have access to special savings not available to the general public. Senior citizens may find that there are many benefits in belonging to a travel club.

Disney Vacation Club

One of the most popular travel clubs is by Disney. Disney Vacation Club is a vacation ownership program that’s not only flexible and affordable, it’s a convenient and cost-effective way for senior travelers to see the world. Disney Vacation Club is based on a Vacation Points system. As a Member, you receive an annual allotment of Vacation Points—based on the size of your real estate interest—to use toward your vacations at Disney Vacation Club Resorts and any one of more than 500 Member Getaways destinations worldwide when you purchase directly from Disney.

Resorts 360 Travel Club

This club called 360 Travel notes that you are a Five-Star world traveler. They understand that vacations are restorative for the mind, body and spirit, a necessary ingredient in our lives today. 360 Travel gives senior travelers time together with other like minded senior citizens to relax, rediscover, and reconnect.

Voyage Privé and the Explorers Club

The Voyage Privé Club is by invitation only. This club invites senior travelers and membership is completely free. The trips offered by VOYAGE PRIVE US are only available for purchase by residents of the United States (excluding Hawaii).

Seeking more adventure? Try The Explorers Club… they travel just about everywhere imaginable.

I found this many more clubs for senior citizen travelers to explore…so I’ll see you next time, same place and we’ll look at more of the best senior travel clubs.jeb

Èze, A Senior Attraction

Èze, renowned senior tourist site on the French Riviera, is famous worldwide for the view of the sea from its hill top. The Jardin botanique d’Èze is known for its collection of cactus and succulents, as well as its panoramic views. Walt Disney spent a significant amount of time in Èze and when you see this site, you’ll know why. I can recall the super view of the Mediterranean Sea from atop a large rocky hill and walking through the gardens when I was only 21 yrs. old. Things like that stay with you.

Èze Village

It’s Old And Inviting

The oldest building in the village is the Chapelle de la Sainte Croix and dates back to 1306. Èze has been described as an “eagle’s nest” because of its location overlooking a high cliff 427 metres (1,401 ft) above sea level on the French Mediterranean.

Hotels and B&Bs

Trip Advisor offers senior visitors five hotels and three super B&Bs with reviews written by tourists who have stayed there. The best known hotel is called the Château de la Chèvre d’Or (Golden Goat)and this site fits the billing. Château de la Chèvre d’Or was elected 4th Best Hotel in the category ‘Overseas Leisure Hotels – Europe, Asia Minor & the Russian Federation’ by Condé Nast Traveller UK Readers 2011. The airport at Nice is 18 km away, which is a 30 minute journey.

Senior Travelers Enjoy the Scenery

Èze stretches out along the coast from Cap Roux to the Cabuel point. Lush tropical vegetation including bananas, dates, carob trees, orange and lemon trees are proof of the year-round warm climate. The beach in the “baie d’Eze” has easy access and is shaded by pine-trees which grow almost down to the water’s edge. Seniors will discover Èze Village to be one of the most picturesque spots in the region.In spite of the crowds, it’s a “must-see” for senior visitors. Once you climb the hill and are inside, you will discover a small Provencal village filled with charm and colorful window boxes, offering a panoramic view of the sea and coast-line.

Medieval Village With Historic Past

The streets of this medieval village have witnessed its historic past. The two look-out towers at the entrance, the door-way and the gun-boat are all classified as historic monuments. At an altitude of 400 m, the summit of the cliff over-looks the sea. In a word…It’s fantastic! Take a walk with YouTube down the narrow streets and take in the view.

Senior travelers to France, I hope that while you are visiting the French Riviera you will take a side trip to Èze. You will not be disappointed. Incidentally that little accent grave on the first È is quite unusual in the French language. jeb

More Seniors are Going to South Africa

You will enjoy this trip seniors, its a big country with lots and lots to see and do. South Africa (Treasure of the World) is a parliamentary democracy and is in many respects a developed country, although much of its population lives in poverty. All major urban areas have modern, world-class hotels and tourist facilities. Game parks and areas most often visited by senior tourists have a wide range of facilities. Food and water are generally safe, and a wide variety of consumer goods and pharmaceuticals are readily available.

Pretoria is the capital, while the seat of parliament is located in Cape Town. Johannesburg is the financial capital and largest city in South Africa. Durban is home to Africa’s busiest port and is the number one tourist destination for South Africans.

Let’s Take a Closer Look

With Frommers in our pocket, senior travelers can check out when to go, how to get there, the money used, getting around and a dozen or so other helpful tips. South Africa’s southwestern coast (the province known as Western Cape) tends to attract the majority of international visitors during the summer months. Fortunately, the country is big enough to absorb these increased numbers without causing the discomfort most people associate with busy seasons.

Be aware, however, that accommodation prices do increase in summer, some by as much as 70%; and if you dislike crowds, you should try to avoid South Africa’s coast during the busiest school holidays, which — like elsewhere — take place from around mid-December to mid-January. More than 10 million tourists visit South Africa each year. Why not be one of them?

Seniors Discover the Heart of South Africa

Discover the heart of South Africa, exploring its unique history, amazing wildlife, truly breathtaking scenery and vibrant cities. Senior visitors will find adventure, affordability, beauty, climate, change, food and wine, infrastructure, people, wildlife and wonders of the world that will leave you spellbound.Best Places to Visit with photos will attract seniors to South Africa’s beauty.

Kruger National Park is Africa’s oldest established wildlife park (1898) and offers one of the best safari experiences in Africa. It’s situated north of Johannesburg and takes about 5 hours to get to by car. It boasts the highest variety of wildlife in Africa which includes the “Big Five“, as well as hippos, crocodiles, giraffe, cheetah and much more. Kruger is one of the best maintained parks in Africa.

Welcome to Visitsouthafrica.com. This site will provide you with relevant and up to date information on the many fascinating attractions that South Africa has to offer senior visitors. You may want to practice a few of these native words prior to your visit. Many languages are used in South Africa (Thank you, Dankie, Siyabonga, Ukhani, Inkomu, Enkosi, Zikomo, Ke a leboga, Ke itumtese, Ndatenda). Enjoy this fascinating country! jeb

Seniors, Let’s Take in Naples

Seniors, let’s get out a good compass and head south to Naples. By now you well know me as a supporter of World Heritage Sites and Naples is another gem. Naples’ historic city centre is the largest in Europe, covering 1,700 hectares and one of the principal reasons for being named a World Heritage Site.

Art, History, Culture and More

Naples is known internationally for its rich history, art, culture, architecture, music, and gastronomy, and has played an important political and cultural role on the Italian peninsula and beyond throughout its 2,800-year existence. Naples is the fourth-richest city in Italy, after Milan, Rome and Turin. Culinarily, the city is synonymous with pizzawhich originated in the city.

What Can Seniors See and Do In Naples?

Naples is widely known for its wealth of historical museums. With one of the world’s most extensive collections of artifacts of the Roman Empire, the Naples National Archaeological Museum is one of the city’s main museums. It also houses many of the antiques unearthed at Pompeii and Herculaneum, as well as some artifacts from the Greek and Renaissance periods. Due to its close proximity to many interesting sites, such as Pompeii and the Bay of Naples, makes it a good base for seniors to explore the area. Naples is a lively and vibrant city full of wonderful historical and artistic treasures and narrow, winding streets with small shops, making it worth at least a few days visit for senior travelers.

Getting Around Naples

Naples has good public transportation and lots of traffic problems so it’s best for senior visitors to avoid having a car in Naples. Naples has a large but crowded bus network, trams, a subway, funiculars, and a suburban train line, the Ferrovia Circumvesuviana, that will get you to Herculaneum, Pompeii, and Sorrento. TripAdvisor can help on your flight to Naples from wherever you are, plus provides hotels, rentals and lists of things for senior visitors to do.The World66 Travel Guide for Naples is a fine URL as well. Buon divertimento a Napoli! jeb